The Silk Map
Nitya Nigam, Group 2: Fiction, German Swiss International School
ow! Look at all these designs!” exclaimed Lily. Her siblings Leo and Louise, nodded in
agreement as they looked around at a silk stall in the Panjiayuan Market, Beijing. They
were visiting for the spring break, and Louise, always eager to go on a shopping spree,
suggested the trip. They each bought a piece and excitedly headed back to their hotel.
“
Lo
Lily noticed it first. She was staring at the three silks lying one on top of the other.
ok! These silks form a map. We need to go to the Great Wall now,” said Lily in a
mysterious voice. “Come on! I’ll explain on the way.”
“
W
Once they were in the cable car riding up the steep hill from the carpark, Lily began. “Long ago in China,
there once lived a princess called Princess Yu, hich means means ‘jade’ in Chinese,” she explained. “Princess
Yu was very proud of her name, and wanted to have the best jade necklace in all of China.”
“
But what does that have to do with our silk map?” questioned Louise.
“
You’ll see,” replied Leo, who knew the legend as well as Lily did.
“
Many merchants from all over China brought her beautiful jade,” continued Lily. “But none were good
enough. She threw them over the wall and into the river below.”
Lily was still telling the story as they got off the cable car and started to walk towards the Cat’s Eyes
Tower.
“
One day, a young girl in rags came to Princess Yu’s palace and presented her with a jade. The girl said that
it was the Jade of Truth, and that anyone who looked in it would see their true self reflected back. Princess Yu
looked in the jade and saw a lonely, selfish woman. Five tears fell from her eyes, and they transformed into
teardrop-shaped jade. The princess suddenly realised how vain and selfish she had been. To thank the girl for
her kindness, Princess Yu gifted her the teardrop jade.”
Lily was just finishing the legend as they arrived at the Tower. “From that day on, Princess Yu became a
kind, selfless person. She often talked about the jade that she had thrown into the river.”
“
That’s a beautiful story. I wonder if it’s true?” breathed Louise.
“
Well, let’s find out. Our map says we need to go down this ladder. It’s called Heaven’s Ladder,” called out
Leo as he began to descend.
“
Where are we?” Lily wondered aloud.
“
The map says we’re in a woodland, heading towards a river,” replied Leo.
“
No, wait!” called a deep voice. The trio froze. They heard a thumping noise from afar. It was getting
louder and closer at a tremendous speed. “We don’t want to hurt you,” said the same voice gently and a gigantic
dragon’s head poked out from behind the trees. Two more dragons appeared from behind.
“
Come, sit on our backs,” said the second dragon.
”
We must tell you something,” said the third one gravely.
The three dragons flew the siblings to Tianyuan Cave. They had flown at lightning speed and had reached
the cave in a matter of seconds.
“
I am Xing Long, and these are Shui Long and Huo Long,” said the first dragon, signalling to the second
and third dragons in turn.
“
Why did you stop us from getting to the river?” demanded Lily.
“
The monkey king, Huai Hou, wants the jade treasure for himself. He has sent his monkey army to defend
the river, and attack anyone who comes near,” Xing Long replied.
“
Then we shall need your help to defeat them,” murmured Lily. She took a deep breath, and then continued,
“
Will you help us?”
Xing Long was quiet for a moment, and then nodded slowly. The new friends huddled closer to talk.
“
Dragons, attack!” commanded Xing Long as the group charged into battle. At the Great Wall, Lily and the
others were each sitting on a dragon’s back. The monkey army was charging towards them, brandishing staffs
and swords. Leo, too absorbed watching the action, forgot to grip Shui Long’s tail properly and slid into the
midst of the battle.
“
Leo!” Lily and Louise screamed in unison. They immediately scrambled off Huo Long and Xing Long
and ran towards their brother. Lily picked up a staff, and holding it skilfully started to twirl it around. Louise
was hot on her heels. Lily kept twirling her staff, sending monkeys flying. Finally they reached Leo. He was
holding a sword and was fighting the monkeys with skills very surprising for a twelve year old. Louise joined in
the action with her Tae Kwon Do moves, all three calling out battle cries.